USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume II > Part 3
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After the death of his brother, Giles Davis went to Maryville and stayed with Fayette Smith, whose father and the subject's mother were cousins, Mr. Smith being a real estate and grain dealer, owner of a dozen elevators and numerous large tracts of land. In 1882 Mr. Davis bought one hundred and twenty acres of land situated two miles south of Skidmore and in the spring of the following year moved to this farm and took up its active operation. Subsequently, while at Maryville, he was caught in a runaway and received a permanent injury to his spine. He was thus seriously handicapped in his work and became so discouraged that at one time he begged Marteny Skid- more to take the farm off his hands, but that noble-hearted man encouraged him to hold on to it, as did many others of his friends. He suffered con- stantly with his spine and in 1905 fell and received further injury, which re- sulted in serious inflammation of the spine, from the effects of which he lay five months in the Ensworth Hospital. The physicians and attendants de- spaired of his recovery, but with characteristic grit and remarkable will power he determined to get well, and in the course of time he recovered sufficiently to be able to get about and attend to his business affairs. He has since that time rented his land most of the time and has lived in Skidmore. Mr. Davis says that when living alone on his farm he did not think he had many friends. but when misfortune came upon him he found that he had. several hundred persons calling on him during his long illness, a fact which was deeply appreciated by the suffering man. Mr. Davis has accomplished much since coming here. despite his misfortunes. Coming here with only two
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hundred dollars, his savings while a school teacher, he has by thrift, industry and good management, acquired a good farm, which he has brought up to a fine state of cultivation, it being now considered one of the good farms of this part of the county.
Fraternally, Mr. Davis is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having been a charter member of the last named body at Skidmore. His religious membership is with the Methodist Episcopal church at Skidmore.
In his school days Mr. Davis was brought into contact with four men of national reputation. William J. Gaynor, afterwards a celebrated jurist and mayor of the city of New York, graduated from Whitestown Seminary in the spring following Mr. Davis' entrance as a student. and other schoolmates of his were Vice-President James Schoolcraft Sherman, and Reuben Leslie Maynard, assistant district attorney of New York city. Mr. Davis lived about two miles from the school and while passing back and forth he often passed a quiet old gentleman, in a one-horse rig, who sometimes invited him to ride with him. That man was Horatio Seymour, one of the most prom- inent national figures during the Civil war period.
ALLEN BROTHERS.
The firm of Allen Brothers, one of the leading real estate and insurance firms of Maryville or this section of the state of Missouri, whose prestige is steadily growing and gradually extending to remoter localities, is composed of John M., Joseph R. and William J. Allen, all ranking among the foremost business men of Nodaway county where the Allen family, which is of Scotch- Irish extraction. has long been influential. The gentleman named above are the sons of Michael and Sarah (Newell) Allen, the father born in the parish of Athenry, county of Galway, Ireland, in 1829, and after receiving his early educational training, came to America about 1848, locating at Circleville. Ohio. where he was employed as railroad agent for a number of years. From there he removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and found employment on various public works. In 1859 he came West and bought a farm in Jones county, Iowa. where he lived until 1878 when he came to Nodaway county. Missouri, locat- ing on a farm three and one-half miles south of Maryville : here he developed a good estate and lived until his death. December 28, 1897. at the age of sixty- eight years. For a period of eight years he was road overseer and it is said by
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those in position to judge that he was the best man for such work that the county ever knew. Some wise man has said that it does not make so much dif- ference what one does in this world, but how well one does it, and so be it here recorded that Michael Allen did his work well. He took a great deal of inter- est in good roads and the public generally praised him for his careful and painstaking work. He had a wide acquaintance and was highly respected by all. He was a faithful member of the Roman Catholic church, a good and use- ful man in his community.
Mr. Allen married Sarah Newell, who was born in the parish of Tuan, county of Galway. Ireland, the date of her birth being September 28. 1838; she was a daughter of Matthew Newell, a native of the Emerald Isle. who was a skilled surveyor and who came to America and found employment at Dubuque, Iowa. Sarah Newell was about ten years old when her parents migrated to America and settled in Iowa. Her death occurred March 16, 1903.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Allen, named as fol- lows : Maria is the wife of Curtis Mossman, of St. Joseph, Missouri; John M., of Maryville, Missouri : Delia lives in St. Joseph : Joseph R., of Maryville ; William J., also of Maryville; Mrs. Kate Skaihill is deceased; Mrs. Ida Schaffer lives on the old home farm; the last two named are twins.
John M. Allen, the eldest of the brothers, was born at Cascade, Jones county, Iowa, May 6, 1866. When about ten years of age his parents removed Nodaway county, Missouri, and here he received most of his schooling, and here he followed the life of the farm boy, working on the parental farm and teaching a few terms of school, still holding a teacher's certificate. In 1908 he, with his younger brothers, Joseph R. and William, mentioned above, estab- lished their present real estate and insurance business.
Joseph R. Allen was born July 19, 1873, at Cascade, Jones county, Iowa. and he accompanied his parents to their new home in Missouri when he was five years of age. He received a common and high school education, and as- sisted in the general work on the home farm. Later he was engaged for some time as a traveling salesman for a well known Chicago firm, giving them the utmost satisfaction, and remaining with them until the organization of the firm of Allen Brothers.
William J. Allen, the youngest of the brothers, was born on the parental farm near Maryville, Missouri, October 8, 1882, and here he was educated in the schools of his neighborhood and followed the usual life of a boy on the farm. He, like his brothers, seems to be the possessor of fine business quali- fications.
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These three brothers are faithful members of the Catholic church, and all are single. They do a general real estate and insurance business, making a specialty of colonization propositions. They represent three old-line insur- ance companies, and they form a hustling and energetic firm whose reliability is unquestioned and whose business transactions are honorable and straight- forward.
JAMES T. HAYS.
One of Nodaway county's substantial and highly honored farmers, now living in retirement in his pleasant Maryville home. enjoying the fruits of his former years of activity and well directed energy. is James T. Hays, a native of the Prairie state, having been born near Blandinsville. McDonough county. Illinois, April 4. 1838, the son of Thomas R. Hays, born in Washington county, Kentucky, February 14. 1801. His grandfather. Hillory Hays. a native of Virginia and a tanner by trade, came to Washington county, Kentucky, when a young man and there reared a large family, which is of Scotch-Irish stock.
In 1830 Thomas R. Hays and two brothers went to McDonough county, Illinois, and settled on a farm. There Thomas R. lived for twenty- nine years. In 1859 he and his family removed to Nodaway county, Mis- souri, locating on a farm four miles west of Skidmore, where he lived until his death, February 4. 1885, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mary McDonald, wife of Thomas R. Hays, was born in Washington county, Ken- tucky, where she was reared and where she married. Her death occurred in 1896. To this union thirteen children were born, named as follows: Eliza- beth died when seventeen years old: Mrs. Clarissa Grigsby is deceased ; Ann Maria is deceased: Isabella U. and Mary Frances (twins) : the former lives on the home farm; the latter, now deceased, was the wife of John Hudson : William R. lives in Denver, Colorado; James T., of this review : Martha J. lives in Wray. Colorado: Joseph W. and John G. (twins) both live on the home farm; Marcus L. died when four years old and two others died in infancy.
The mother of James T. Hays was a twin and she and her twin sister. each became the mother of two sets of twins.
James T. Hays was born in Illinois, where he received his education in the common schools and the local seminary. He began working on the farm when a mere boy, coming to Nodaway county with his parents in 1859. and on his twenty-first birthday he began life for himself on one hundred and
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sixty acres of land which his father gave him, having given an equal amount to all his children. Mr. Hays was active in farm work and very successful until sixteen years ago when he moved to Maryville. Then he and his son farmed forty acres near town for a short time. Mr. Hays then engaged in the milling business, operating the Banner Mill for seven months. He then took a special agency for the Page Woven Wire Fence Company. His success with the same soon resulted in his appointment to a "block" of counties where he continued to work in a manner that greatly increased the company's pres- tige. but. owing to illness. he gave up the work, although he still represents the company in Maryville. He is now engaged in real estate, and often gets colonization parties together.
Mr. Hays married. February 14. 1868, Laura A. Young, daughter of Milton and Mary J. (Richardson) Young. She was born near Hillsboro, Highland county. Ohio. Her parents came to Missouri in 1865 and to Nod- away county in 1866, settling on a farm west of Skidmore where the family remained until Mr. Young's death, in November, 1868. Mrs. Young then married Samuel Hull, and her death occurred on December 12, 1891. Mrs. Hays is one of a family of ten children, only two others living, viz: William M. Young lives in California, and Mrs. Kate Cheney, who lives in Osceola, St. Clair county, Missouri. Mrs. Hays' father, Milton Young, was in Com- pany I, Twenty-fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was a pris- oner in Libby and Danville prisons and died from the effects of prison life. - Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hays, namely: Nellie. wife of William A. Argo, of Burrow Grove, this county ; Milton R., also of Burrow Grove : Eddie C. lives in Hooker county, Nebraska, on six hundred and sixty acres of land, which he owns; Pearl C. lives near Skidmore, this county : Elvira B. lives near DuQuoin, Illinois ; Herminoe died when eighteen years of age: J. T. Hays lives in Hooker, Nebraska : Laura L. is at home ; Willie and Samuel died in infancy.
James T. Hays, of this review, was one of Missouri's Union soldiers, having been a member of Company I. Forty-eighth Regiment Missouri Volun- teer Infantry, and he saw service during all but five months of the war. He was in many skirmishes where the bullets fell thick and fast. including the battle of Lexington and others. His service was mostly in Missouri where a strong guard was needed.
Mr. and Mrs. Hays are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church at Maryville. The former's parents were also Methodists, while the mother of Mrs. Hays was a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Hays belongs to the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a Republican in poli-
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tics, having cast his first vote for Lincoln, the votes of his family and one other which they influenced being the only votes cast for Lincoln in Hughes township, Nodaway county.
Mr. Hays delights to tell of the pilgrimage of his father's family from Illinois to Missouri in the early days, starting from their old home on March 8. 1859, arriving in Nodaway county on April 4, following, traveling over- land, their caravan constituting two three-yoke ox teams, one four-horse team, one carriage, thirty head of stock, including cattle, etc. They were compelled to ford the Grand river twice and the Nodaway river near Burling- ton Junction once. There were no bridges over the Nodaway river at that time. He tells many interesting reminiscences of this journey which abounded in thrilling experiences.
JOHN MAST.
Another member of the Mast family who has long been conspicuous in the affairs of southwest Nodaway county is John Mast, who was born May 18, 1843, in the northwest section of Hughes township, this county, and is the son of Noah and Catherine (Rolling) Mast. The father came from North Carolina, where, he was born and reared, to Buchanan county, Missouri, with a Mr. Curtis in 1840. His wife came from that section of the South, also, and they were married after coming to this country. Noah Mast was a man of sunny disposition, and his children and all who knew him greatly enjoyed his company. He remained active through old age, and when eighty could jump high enough to touch his heels together twice before touching the floor. He was the son of John and Susan (Harmon) Mast, the latter the daughter of Cutliff and Eva Mast. Catherine Rolling came to Buchanan county, Missouri, with her brother, when she was a young woman.
John Mast grew to maturity on the home farm and was educated in the public schools. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in the State Militia, and he served in the Confederate army under General Price, whose troops he joined just after the battle of Lexington, Missouri. In the spring of 1862 he was discharged because of sickness. He then went to Nebraska and remained there a little over two years, being a refugee from home ; the fact that he was a Southern sympathizer made it unsafe for him to remain at home. In October, 1864, he returned long enough to get married to Sarah A. Brown, daughter of John and Priscilla (Bohannan) Brown. A full sketch of these
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parents appears on another page. John Mast and wife went at once to Nebraska and remained there until the spring of 1866, then returned to the old home and lived with Mr. Mast's father a year or two. He then moved to the southeast part of Monroe township where he had forty acres of land. Since then he has lived in the southeast part of Monroe township, with the exception of from January, 1892, to the fall of 1898. during which time he lived in Oklahoma.
Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Mast. namely : Catherine P. married George Harold and lives at Ft. Scott, Kansas; William Jackson died when thirteen years old: Susan Geneva died when seven years old : Mary E. married J. R. Walters and lives at Ricardo, New Mexico: Jake James T. died when three years old: Charles Everett died when nineteen years old ; Martha E. married Willie H. Walker, who died two months and seventeen days after their marriage, and she now lives with her father; Emma Cordelia died when eighteen months old: Noah W. died when one year old; Myrtle E. is the wife of John F. Barber, whose sketch appears in this work.
Mrs. John Mast passed to her rest on November 30, 1900. She and Mr. Mast and all their children but one were members of the Methodist Episcopal church South. Mr. Mast has been a Mason since 1874. and he is a charter member of Skidmore Lodge. No. 507. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Mrs. Mast was a member of the Eastern Star. Their daughters, Mrs. Barber. Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Walters. all belong to the Daughters of Rebekah.
GEORGE JAMES COLER.
No man in Hughes township, Nodaway county, stands higher in the estimation of his fellow citizens than the gentleman whose name forms the caption to this sketch, owing to the fact that his life has been so modulated as to result in the accomplishment of great good not only for himself and family, but also the community at large. He has all his life devoted his efforts to the basic art of agriculture and his efforts have been crowned with a due measure of success, he being numbered among the representative citi- zens of his community.
George J. Coler is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having first seen the light of day in Morgan county. Ohio, on the 4th of November. 1859. His parents were Henry and Matilda (Williams) Coler, the former born in
COLER RESIDENCE
..
GEORGE J. COLER AND FAMILY
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Ringgold, Ohio, January 23, 1834. and the latter in the same county on July 20, 1834. They afterwards came to Nodaway county, Missouri, where, in Hughes township, the mother died in October. 1905, being survived by her husband, who lives at College Springs, Iowa. They became the parents of six children, namely: Willam A .. of College Springs, Iowa : George James. the immediate subject of this sketch : Celesta J .. the wife of Charles O. Remy. of Colonda Springs, California ; Isaac William, a farmer of Hughes town- ship; Marcellus and Mary M., twins, died in infancy.
When the subject of this sketch was five years old. his parents removed to Pike county, Ohio, where they maintained their home during the following five years, at the end of which time they came to Nodaway county, Missouri. Here George J. received the major part of his education, which was confined to the common schools, and his vacation periods were devoted to work on his father's farm. When twenty years old he went to Rooks county, Kansas, remaining there two years, at the end of which time he returned to Nodaway county and bought a farm in Hughes township, three and one-half miles east of Graham, to the cultivation of which he devoted himself until March 17, 1903, when he settled on the farm in Hughes township where he now resides. His place comprises one hundred and sixty acres of as good land as can be found in this section of the county, and it is all improved and in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Coler also owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in Rooks county. Kansas, all of which is improved and in cul- tivation and from which he derives a fair income. He is a good business man and his efforts have uniformly been rewarded with success, due to his inde- fatigable industry, his sound judgment and excellent discrimination. In addi- tion to a general line of farming. Mr. Coler also gives considerable attention to the breeding and raising of livestock, principally cattle and hogs, in which success has also attended him. Mr. Coler's home is a very attractive and comfortable residence, everything about the place being kept in the best con- dition, the general appearance of things reflecting credit upon the owner.
On November 28. 1888, in Hughes township, Mr. Coler was married to Minnie May Charles, who was born in Maryville, this county, on December 23. 1868, the daughter of Jacob L. and Emily (Frances) Charles, of Hughes township. To Mr. and Mrs. Coler have been born four children, Vernie May. Ernest Levin, Clio Alberta and Ermil Elton. Mr. Coler and family take an active interest in religious matters as members of the Methodist Episcopal church and in every relation of life they give an earnest support to those things which tend to elevate the community in which they live. They are genial and optimistic in their dispositions and are popular in the circles in which they move.
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GIDEON MATTER.
No man in Nodaway county is more deserving of the success he has at- tained and the high esteem he has won in business, political and social circles than Gideon Matter, not alone because of the results he has achieved for himself. friends and the county, but also because of the honorable, straight- forward business policy he has ever followed. He is well known throughout the county, being interested in whatever tends to promote the interest of the same in any way, and he is accurate. painstaking and persistent. He is a native of the Keystone state, having been born in Dauphin county. Pennsyl- vania. May 27, 1850. His father was William Matter, also a native of the county mentioned above, where he grew to maturity and was educated. In 1853 he came to Illinois, locating near Freeport when his son. Gideon, was three years old. He was a tailor by trade and later devoted his attention to farming. but he conducted the two together for a time. He lived on the farm until he was twenty years old, then, on December 28, 1870, married Mary A. Nafe, who was born in Pennsylvania, but came to the same com- munity in Illinois in which the Matter family settled. After a residence there of six years after their marriage, the family came to Nodaway county, Mis- souri, in 1877. locating on a farm four miles northeast of Barnard, where he lived for a period of sixteen years. Then he removed to Barnard where Mr. Matter engaged in the hardware business for three years, then returned to the farm and in 1902 came to Maryville and engaged in the real estate business with Mr. Cordill. under the firm name of Cordill & Matter, which was later changed to Curnett. Cordill & Matter. Later Mr. Cordill retired and the present firm of Curnett & Matter continued the business. Theirs is one of the leading real estate firms in the county, well known, and their office is always a busy place. They have an excellent knowledge of the value of all kinds of real estate in this county and their dealings are always on the square, according to the statement of many of their acquaintances.
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Matter, named as follows : Jessie E. is the wife of John Curnett, member of the firm of Curnett & Matter: John died when two and one-half years of age: Earl J. died when six years old: Bessie died at the age of fourteen months: Ruth is living at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Matter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Matter is a steward, and has been in this capacity for many years. fraternally, he is a Modern Woodman, and a Republican in politics.
The Matter family is of German origin on the paternal side and English
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on the maternal side. The mother of Gideon Matter was known in her maidenhood as Leah Troutman, born in Pennsylvania. Both parents reached advanced ages. the father dying at the age of ninety-six years and the mother at eighty-five years. Nine children were born to them, seven of whom are living at this writing, named as follows: Elizabeth Matter is deceased; Moses lives in Dakota. Illinois; Jonathan is deceased; both he and Moses were soldiers in the Civil war, serving during the entire conflict, enlisting when seventeen and nineteen years of age respectively. Mrs. Leah Tool lives in Ackley, Iowa: Susanna is the wife of Rev. C. S. Fair, living in Illi- nois ; Conrad lives in North Dakota; Gideon of this review ; Sarah Lambert is living on the old homestead near Dakota, Illinois : James W. lives in Wash- ington. Kansas.
PROF. WILLIAM M. OAKERSON.
The men most influential in promoting the advancement of society and in giving character to the times in which they live are two classes, to-wit, the men of study and the men of action. Whether we are more indebted for the improvement of age to the one class or the other is a question of honest differ- ence of opinion ; neither class can be spared and both should be encouraged to occupy their several spheres of labor and influence, zealously and without mutual mistrust. In the following paragraphs are briefly outlined the lead- ing facts and characteristics in the career of a gentleman who combines in his make-up the elements of the scholar and the energy of the public-spirited man of affairs. Devoted to the noble and humane work of teaching, he has made his influence felt in the school life of Nodaway county and is not unknown to the wider educational circles of the state, occupying as he does a prominent place in his profession and standing high in the esteem of edu- cators in other than his own particular field of endeavor.
Prof. W. M. Oakerson, county superintendent of schools, of Nodaway county, was born in Randolph county, Indiana, September 23. 1869. the son of A. T. Oakerson, a native of Kentucky, who came to Indiana when a boy with his parents. A. T. Oakerson devoted his life to agricultural pur- suits, and he is at present living in Atchison county, Missouri, having come to this state in 1881. settling in Atchison county. The Oakerson family is of English and German origin, with a strain of Welsh.
The paternal grandfather of Professor Oakerson was William Oakerson,
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